Police officers, PCSOs and Chiltern’s crime reduction adviser will be on hand at two events to tell people how they can protect themselves from burglars.
Mike Levine, Crime Reduction Adviser and PC Jim Clarke from the Chalfont St Peter Neighbourhood Policing Team, will be at Budgens in Market Place, Chalfont St Peter, on Tuesday, November 13, from noon-2pm.
They will give out free timer switches, property marking kits and answer people’s questions on how they can protect themselves from burglary.
Mike will also be in Sainsbury’s in Broad Street, Chesham, on November 14 from 10am-2pm – this time with Police Community Support Officer Mike Shepard from the Chesham town neighbourhood team.
The initiative comes as officers in Chiltern are focusing on burglary this month as part of a Force-wide crackdown.
November traditionally sees an increase in burglaries in all areas of Thames Valley with the darker nights drawing in and people starting to store presents in the run up to Christmas.
Mike Levine said: “As the nights are getting longer, people are more at risk from burglars if they leave their homes dark at night.
“If are going out during the day and come back after dark, leave a light on or ideally use a timer switch so it looks as if someone is in. Burglars always go for the easy option. If your house is in dark in the evening, it’s a dead giveaway to burglars that nobody is in!
Mike also gives the following advice:
• Trimming overgrown trees & hedges that obscure lighting or might hide a burglar from your neighbours or passers by.
• Postcode your electrical goods such as DVD players and computers with an ultra violet pen or permanent marker, and make an inventory of these items including brand names & serial numbers. UV pens can be obtained from crime reduction advisers, and will be available on Thursday. You can also register all mobile equipment such as cameras and iPods on the national database www.menduk.org. The police have access to this database so that stolen items can be returned to their owners.
• Join or start up a neighbourhood watch scheme in your road (phone the Neighbourhood Watch Office in the Chiltern area on 01494 736642 for more details or register online to receive crime reports from the